Breadcrumb

Our gardens are open to limited numbers of people who can get to us safely and enjoy the fresh air. You must book a time slot in advance to visit Kew Gardens or Wakehurst.

As a charity, we need your help to continue our work more than ever. Donate today to help protect the future of Kew.

Temperate House

CLOSED Discover rare and threatened plants in the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse.

In light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are sorry to inform you that this attraction is closed until further notice.

Travel the world in this glittering cathedral – home to 1,500 species of plants from Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Following a major five-year renovation process, the Temperate House re-opened in 2018 to showcase the splendour of the world’s temperate zones.

As temperate plants, all the species contained within its walls need to live in conditions above 10oC to survive. Despite being the foundation of much life on Earth, many of these plants are under threat.

The Temperate House tells the story of how Kew and partners all around the world are working to rescue plants that are rare or already extinct in the wild.

Filled with 10,000 individual plants, this vast collection may help us find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, from climate change to loss of biodiversity or food security.

Enriched by over 250 years of plant expertise, the freshly restored Temperate House has once again become the beating heart of Kew – an iconic landmark and a beacon of the future for plant science.

Nearest entrance

Lion Gate.
For step-free access, please follow the signs to the western side of the building.

Visiting the Temperate House

Our glasshouses are open until one hour before the Gardens close. Please see our opening times for full details.

An award-winning destination

The Temperate House was voted Best UK National Treasure at the 2018 National Geographic Traveller Magazine Reader Awards.

Acknowledgements

Kew would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund, Defra, Eddie and Sue Davies, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, The Linbury Trust, The Hartnett Conservation Trust, and other supporters.

Thanks also to donors supporting the Horticultural and Construction Apprenticeships, including the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust, the Buffini Chao Foundation, Make My Day Better, The Ingram Trust, the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, the Finnis Scott Foundation, the Ernest Cook Trust, CHK Charities Limited, the Sandra Charitable Trust, the Vandervell Foundation, the Radcliffe Trust, the Eranda Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, the Lake House Charitable Foundation, the Helen Hamlyn Trust, the February Foundation, and other supporters.

About the Heritage Lottery Fund

Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, or from precious memories and collections to rare and unique wildlife www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.

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Palm House

Explore the treasures of the world's rainforests in this iconic glasshouse.